Officers crnd Comrnittee lor 1955 - Whitby Naturalists
Officers crnd Comrnittee lor 1955 - Whitby Naturalists
Officers crnd Comrnittee lor 1955 - Whitby Naturalists
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<strong>Officers</strong> <strong>crnd</strong> <strong>Comrnittee</strong> <strong>lor</strong> <strong>1955</strong><br />
President r<br />
THE MOST HONOURABLE<br />
TTIE MARQUIS OF NORMANBY. M,B.E.. J.P.<br />
Vice-Presidents r<br />
Mr. J E. Hemingway, B.Sc., Ph.D.<br />
Mr. F. S. Walker, M.A.<br />
Rev. C. C. Fowler. F.G.S.<br />
Ghairman:<br />
Colonel H. C. Pewse.u-.<br />
Vice-Ghairman:<br />
Rev. C. C. Fowler.<br />
Hon, Secretary:<br />
Mrs. O. Adshead Breckon, St. Michael's, Ruswarp Lane (Tei. 175).<br />
Hon. Treasurer:<br />
Mr. James Lindley, Brooklyn, The Avenue, Ruswarp (Tei. 859).<br />
Flon, Organiser:<br />
Mr. Arthur Smith, 14. Stakesby Va1e, <strong>Whitby</strong> (Tel. 187)<br />
Press Secretary:<br />
Mrs. Millard.<br />
Librarians !<br />
Mr. J. B. Niven. NIr. T. W. StamP.<br />
Hon, Auditor :<br />
Mr. A. F. Watson.<br />
Lanternist :<br />
NIr. Frank Readman.<br />
Committee :<br />
Retiring 1956: Retiring 1957 r Retiring 1958 r<br />
Mr. J. E. Hemingway, Mrs. F. Story. Miss M. C. Walker.<br />
B'Sc'' Ph D Rev. C. C. Fowier, Mrs. A. F{oliings.<br />
Miss M. Keighie-v. F.G.S. Mr. Scrutor-r.<br />
Mr. J. Niven. Mrs. C. W. Bror,vn.<br />
llon, Members :<br />
tsurnett, Percy. Burttett, Mrs.
Addey, Miss K.<br />
Askew, F. G.<br />
Askew, Mrs.<br />
Adshead, S.<br />
Adshead-Breckon, Mrs.<br />
Armstrong Mrs.<br />
Bagshawe, K. G. R.<br />
Barker, Mrs.<br />
Be1i. Miss E.<br />
Bell, Mis,s FJ.<br />
Bell, Mrs. TI. R.<br />
Bennett. L{iSs E.<br />
Billington, R. H.<br />
Billington Mrs.<br />
Biackwell. Mrs.<br />
Botham, N. D. S.<br />
B,eocock, D.<br />
Bradley, MisLs.<br />
Breckon, Mrs. M.<br />
Brierley, {.<br />
Brierley. Mrs.<br />
Brooks, Mrs. P.<br />
Brown, Mrs. C. W.<br />
Brown, E. ,H.<br />
Brown, Dr. L.<br />
Bro.wn. Mrs.<br />
Brown, Miss M. V.<br />
Brown. Miss V. E.<br />
Browne, H. B.<br />
Burnham, ,C. E. A.<br />
Burnham. Mrs.<br />
Bury, A. F.<br />
Carr, L<br />
Carter, N{,iss E. H.<br />
Cleverly, Miss D.<br />
Close, R.<br />
C
Simpspn. C.<br />
Smlth. A.<br />
Smith, Mrs.<br />
Smitlh. Miss NI.<br />
Smales. Mrs. K.<br />
Smales. Mrs. R.<br />
Snaith. W.<br />
SmLa1s5, I\4it.<br />
Spaven, Mrs. L.<br />
Spencer. Miss K.<br />
Spencer. Miss L<br />
Starnp. T.<br />
Stephenson. G.<br />
Storrar, Miss<br />
Sr,vain. Mrs.<br />
Slvales, Miss E.<br />
Swales, M.<br />
S,warbreck. Miss<br />
Su'eeting, P.<br />
Sweeting, Mrs.<br />
Sweeting. Miss<br />
>weelrng, l!,.<br />
Sutcliffe. Miss<br />
Story, Mrs. F.<br />
Story. P.<br />
Storey. Mrs. H.<br />
Shaw. Mrs.<br />
Tay<strong>lor</strong>. B.<br />
'Iindatre, Mrs. G.<br />
Tindalc. NIiss S.<br />
Towell, I{iss<br />
Trattles. Miss<br />
Turnbull. Mrs. J.<br />
v enLress. '1 .<br />
Walker. A. B-<br />
Walker. Miss D.<br />
Walker. F. S-<br />
Walker. Dr. J. N.<br />
Waiker. Mrs.<br />
Walker. Miss M.<br />
Walker. Robin<br />
Watson, A. F.<br />
Watson. Mrs.<br />
Watson. T.<br />
Ward. Mrs.<br />
Webb. Miss A.<br />
White, Miss<br />
Wilkinson. Mrs.<br />
Wilkinson, Miss J.<br />
lVilkinson, Miss K.<br />
Williamson, Miss J<br />
Wood, A.<br />
Wood, Miss C.<br />
Wood. Mis-s E.<br />
Wright, Mrs. M.<br />
Wright. Mrs. B.<br />
Whytehead. J.<br />
Whvtehead. Mrs.<br />
Young. M.
ANNUAT REPONT, <strong>1955</strong><br />
Young Members Wcnted<br />
An appeal for more young members<br />
was made by Mrs. O. Adshead-<br />
Breckon, secretary, at the annual<br />
meetinq ot <strong>Whitby</strong> Naturaiists' Club,<br />
at the KendaII -Room BLACKBOARD ACOOUNTS,<br />
Mr. J. Lindley, treasurer, introduced<br />
the financial statement in a<br />
novel way, having before the meeting<br />
of WhitbY copied<br />
Museum on the 26th<br />
it on a blackboard, so thai<br />
ultirno.<br />
Mrs. Adshead-Breckon said<br />
the various items were clearly<br />
the before the members as he explained<br />
Chib would warmly welcome some of<br />
the o der schoolclrildren of<br />
them. He reported balances in the<br />
<strong>Whitby</strong>,<br />
and other young people<br />
Aeneral fund bf €103 f6s. 5d. and ru<br />
who felt they<br />
would like to get to know their<br />
fhe booklet account of €39 9s. 5d.,<br />
own<br />
countryside intimately and<br />
the total of €143 5s. 10d. being<br />
Iearn<br />
more of the g<strong>lor</strong>ies of nature, for<br />
approximately €19 more than theY<br />
to started the year.<br />
know was to love and understand. Miss<br />
Colonel H. C.<br />
Vioiet E. Brown presented<br />
Pewsey, chairman,<br />
presided, and referred to the<br />
the botanical record, saying that in<br />
loss<br />
ihe Club had suffered by the<br />
spite of the very wet, cold and<br />
death lrlindv seasons of ihe past .year, the<br />
of 1\{r. Wilfrid Wood, deputy chair- Secti6n had not been<br />
man. He said the members could<br />
congratulate themselves on the<br />
successful running of the Club, due<br />
to the wholehearted support and<br />
untiring energy of Mrs. Adshead-<br />
Breckon, Mr. J. LindIeY. treasurer<br />
and l/Ir. A. Smith. organiser. He<br />
also referred to the excellent work<br />
undertaken by Mrs. W. A. Millard as<br />
Press liaison- oiicer and Mr. J. B.<br />
Niven as librarian.<br />
-deteried from<br />
a certain amount of Pro-gress. and<br />
field excursions were weII attended.<br />
It was sratif.ving to note that some<br />
memberi had been working in small<br />
groups on certain areas, apart trorrr<br />
t-he airaneed meelings of the Section.<br />
and mucli valuable-knowledge had<br />
been obtained. She urged members<br />
to keep careful records as, owing to<br />
the great changes taking Place in<br />
the dountryside. manY Plants were<br />
In her report, Mrs. Adshead- in danser of elimination.<br />
Breckon briefly recalled the Club's Reooitine for the Archeological<br />
summer meetings, and said that in Sectibn. Miss M. C. Walker said the<br />
snite of the much criticised weather exertions of the Section through a<br />
ohl-y one meeting was abandoned long period with regard to Duck<br />
She atso outlined the winter series EriEee. Danbv, were now largelY<br />
of meetings. and said one feature of rewalded bv the erection of the more<br />
the Club effective anh pleasing County Council<br />
warning siens at the approach to<br />
both en?s of the bridge. With those'<br />
ind ttre additional sign supplied bv<br />
the Ministrv of Works at the bridge<br />
itself. no ohe could be unaware of<br />
bolh the historic interest and the<br />
vulnerability of the ancient monum-tnt.<br />
The County Council had<br />
accepted advice from the MinislrY<br />
is to ttre best means of Preserving<br />
the stonework.<br />
LILLA CROSS,<br />
Mr. Harker had suggested that a<br />
sisn should be Placed on Lilla Howe<br />
to"mark, witi-rout nossibility of doubt<br />
in fufure Years, the exact mound on<br />
whicb Liila Cross had stood before<br />
its removal. Thc precaution seemed<br />
needless-thev knew which was Lilla<br />
Howe-but tlie proLrabiiity was that<br />
-had happily revived.<br />
the <strong>Whitby</strong> Gazette -been having grven<br />
the hospitality of its columns, and<br />
she wai assured the reports were<br />
widely read and much appreciated<br />
The death of five members was<br />
recorded with regret, and fifteen<br />
new members were welcomed.<br />
The Secretary thanked the WhitbY<br />
Literarv and Philosophical Society<br />
for its- co-operation, and said het<br />
work as secr6tary had been rendered<br />
almost nominal bY the valued helP<br />
of her colleagues. - arrd Mr. R<br />
Chambers who Eave loYal service in<br />
many ways. She also thanked the<br />
ieiaers, sireakers and recorders who<br />
had made' such valuable contribulions<br />
to the year's Programme' AII bul<br />
two weie club members. and the.v<br />
could congratulate thernselves on the<br />
amount oJ talent and' enthusiasm<br />
tl-re club could show.
it would be a very considerable<br />
time before any thought of replacing<br />
the cross could be entertained, and<br />
by then it was possible to imagine<br />
some uncertainty as to the exact<br />
location. It was deemed wise to act<br />
upon the suggestion, and permission<br />
had been received from the military<br />
autrhority t6 erect such a sign, and<br />
it was hoped to obtain a metal plate<br />
frorn the Ministry of Works to be<br />
fixed on the howe.<br />
While extensive reconstruction to<br />
the river embankment along Church<br />
Street was being carried out, the old<br />
containins wail had been taken<br />
down. The stones lay in a great<br />
heap and were to be used again as<br />
foundations to the new embankment.<br />
Amonq them were to be seen several<br />
worke-d stones which must have<br />
come from the Abbey luins. for<br />
example multi-curved stones used irn<br />
the .ril"lars She had asked whether an;v<br />
had beern laid to one side, and was<br />
told it w,erS not pussibtle under<br />
working conditions to differentiate<br />
between the stones, and they had all<br />
been thrown among tlre rest. Much<br />
as one would h-ave wished to<br />
examine the worked stones, the size<br />
of the pile and the enormous weight<br />
of each individual block made it<br />
impracticable. In these days of<br />
devastation and upheaval one felt<br />
powerless, in face of the many threats<br />
to the things one would wish to<br />
preserve.. .But, taking the long view<br />
oI past history, one must suppose<br />
Urat such regrets had been common<br />
to all ages, and one gleaned a<br />
measure of reassurance thereby.<br />
The ofrcials were elected as<br />
follows : President, the Marquis of<br />
Normanby; vice-presidents, Dr. J. E.<br />
Hemingway, Mr. F. S. Walker, and<br />
the Rev. C. C. Fowler: chairman.<br />
Colonel H. C. Pewsey; vice-chairman,<br />
Rw. C. C. Fowler; secretary,<br />
Mrs. O. Adshead-Breckon; treasurer,<br />
Mr. J. Lindley; organiser, Mr. A.<br />
Smith; Press secretary, Mrs. W. A.<br />
Millard: librarians. Mr. J. B. Niven<br />
and Mr. T. W. Stamp; auditor, Mr.<br />
A. F. Watson: lanternist, Mr. F.<br />
Readman; recorders-botany, Miss<br />
Wilkinson; bird life, Mr. A. B.<br />
Walker; geology, Dr. J. E. Heming-<br />
way; ledidopl6ra, Mr. B. Tay<strong>lor</strong>;<br />
archaeology, - Miss M. C. Walker.<br />
Three members retired by rotation<br />
from the committee, and Miss M. C.<br />
Wa ker, Mrs. Hollings and Mr. H.<br />
A. Scruton were elected.<br />
RECORDERS' REPORTS.<br />
Reoorts were received from Miss V. Brown, on Motany. and Mr.<br />
Hickman. on Archeologv.
Excursion to Howshcrm<br />
April 30th, 1954<br />
Ths <strong>Whitby</strong> <strong>Naturalists</strong>' CIub<br />
enjoyed the first outing of tleir<br />
summel programme on Saturday,<br />
when a iarge party travelied to<br />
Howsham HalI, an extensive mansion<br />
near Nlaiton, the excursion<br />
being srranged by the archaeological<br />
seition undel the leadership of Mrs.<br />
Mi11ard. Sleights.<br />
Hov/sharn Hail, atr unique and<br />
lovely specimen of Jacobean architecture,<br />
was built by one of the<br />
Bamburgh family with stone5 from<br />
the u'reck of Kirkham ALbrbey,<br />
floated down the river Derwent<br />
which passes the .Halt. . This, supposed<br />
act oI sacrilege brought a<br />
curse upon the house rvhereby the<br />
male heirs to the estate were<br />
Cestined to premature death. As<br />
the year s passed the prophecy<br />
became a legcnd. The male line of<br />
the Bamburghs dieA out and, later,<br />
by inter-marriage with the Wentworths,<br />
tlte las1 of thi. family<br />
became extlnct.<br />
In the nineteenth century Coionel<br />
Sir George Chomley became the last<br />
of his iine. His widow, Hannah.<br />
erecteC the church at Howsham iri<br />
1860 to his rnemory and that of three<br />
of their children. For centuries<br />
Hor,vsJram Hail was the home of the<br />
Strickland family. The Hon. Ida M.<br />
H. Strickland, the "Lord of the<br />
Manor" of Whitbv Strand, left the<br />
Ha1I about 1948. -Since then it has<br />
becomc derelict and the estate has<br />
been boughl by the Pickering Sawmills<br />
and Timber Company of<br />
Pickering for its tirnber. A Sodiety<br />
known as the Historic Buildings<br />
Bureau ha5 become interested in<br />
the mansion and, to save it from<br />
demolition, is endeavouring to find<br />
r puri:haser.<br />
Tire Whilby. Naturalist5 share their<br />
jnteres{ in this question an4 on<br />
Saturda-y, made a ihorough exb<strong>lor</strong>a-<br />
tion o{' ths HalI,. walking thioulh<br />
a seemingly endless procession o{<br />
rooms and corridors. opening<br />
innumcrabls cupboard doors<br />
admirins beautiful marble mantelpieces<br />
an6 g<strong>lor</strong>ious views from the<br />
rvindolvs. In an ups@1rs room<br />
excitement was created by the<br />
finding oI a pigeon'5 nest. built on<br />
the hob oI an old-fashioned fireplace<br />
and conlnining tw6 eggq still<br />
walm. Excilement mounted on tbe<br />
discovery of a secret hiding hole<br />
behind a ho)low panel in a narrow<br />
iobbv be'tween two bedrooms. The<br />
magnificenl oak stair case and<br />
balustrade werg ereatly admired<br />
but not the varst series of stone<br />
flonred ki{chens and larders.<br />
In ihe grounds two boaf honrses<br />
were inspecled" alsn the handsome<br />
stable b'uildings, and the church<br />
with its beautiful mosaics and ros€<br />
window at the west end. Mrs.<br />
Millard expressed the CluLr's thanks<br />
lo the o',vners for lheir permission<br />
10 vrew.<br />
Ths <strong>Naturalists</strong> felt that it would<br />
be a difficuit problem to find a use<br />
ior this o;ld mansion which is<br />
rapidly falling into decay.
Visit to the Bridestones at Fcrirhead<br />
Under the leadership of the club<br />
secretary, Mrs. Adshead Breckon,<br />
the archaeological section of <strong>Whitby</strong><br />
<strong>Naturalists</strong>' Club visited the Fairhead<br />
bridestones on Saturday. Mrs.<br />
Adshead Breckon recalled that it<br />
was at a meeting at the Bridestones,<br />
led by Captain H. L. Boyle, R.N.,<br />
in April,, 1938, that the formation of<br />
an archeological section of the club<br />
was p,roposed. The section is now<br />
very flourishing, with 100 members.<br />
The Bridestones are silent witnesses<br />
of man's existence on the<br />
moors some 3,000 years ago. They<br />
were the scenes of fervent religious<br />
cererrnonial and strange burial<br />
customs. At the end of the<br />
Neolithic Age this country was<br />
invaded by people from Denmark<br />
and the Rhineland-prehistoric fore'<br />
runners of the Saxons and the Danes.<br />
They bro,ught with them new types<br />
of stone and flint implernents and,<br />
above a1I tools of bronze, and sc<br />
initia.ted the Bronze Age. First cam,e<br />
the Eeaker people, then the Food<br />
Vessel people', and as time went on<br />
cremation became rnore and more<br />
general, and the ashes of the dead<br />
were deposited in earthenware urns<br />
under round barrows. Hence the<br />
period is called the Urn period. It<br />
was the Urn people who made the<br />
first serious atte'mpt to live in the<br />
dales and on the moors, their<br />
dwellings were hut pits, scattered<br />
along the valley sides below the high<br />
moorland plateau; their fields<br />
May 14th, 1954<br />
terraced the daleside and grew oats<br />
and barley, and {hey kept herds of<br />
swine, goats, sheep and a few srnall<br />
cattle. Adjoining each settlement<br />
was ,their burial ground where the<br />
hurnbler folk were laid to rest under<br />
round piles of stones. Thg inurned<br />
ashes of the ctriefs were entombed,<br />
and large mounds erected on the<br />
high ridges and remain the greatest<br />
surviving works of the Urn people<br />
in this district. They also erected<br />
large stones, either singly or in lines,<br />
or circles, and here they performed<br />
their rites and cerernonies inthe hope<br />
of promo'ting the fertility of crop,s,<br />
animals and man himself. Tlhese rites<br />
were associated wi'th the Earth or<br />
Mother Goddess, a memory of whom<br />
slrrvives in the, ter,m "old wife," a<br />
name often attached to the remains<br />
of Urn people.<br />
No o'ne really knew why they are<br />
called BrideStones. Some of them<br />
a e known to have been places<br />
wtrere lovers plighted their troth.<br />
The name may be a corruption of<br />
"Druid Stones." They may also<br />
have been associated with the<br />
soddess Brigantia, and later wiLh<br />
trre Celtic -eoddess of fire and<br />
fertility, Bridget, otherwise known<br />
as Brig, Brid or Bride.<br />
The Low Bridestones, about 10O<br />
feet lower on the moor, form a<br />
remarkable examqrJ.e of prehigtoric<br />
wallirrg, and are the remains of<br />
stone-walled enclosures, fieIds, or<br />
cattle folds.
Club Outing<br />
May 28th, 1954<br />
The Botanical Section of Whithy<br />
Natw:rlists' Club held their first<br />
outiog of the season, on SaturdaY,<br />
under the leaCership of Mrs. H. C.<br />
Pewsey. They went to Arncliffe<br />
Woods, and at Beggar's Bridge,<br />
Glaisdale. Mrs. Pewsey related the<br />
romantic story of the bridge, which<br />
wa5 built in 1621, as the result of a<br />
lover's vow. The mernber" thein<br />
st,arted theil walk through the<br />
wcod.5 in search of botanical specimens.<br />
Aboul forty different flowerg<br />
wele lourrd. but nothing rare. The<br />
bluebell5 were al their best. The<br />
sheets oi blue under the lovely<br />
trees, with their soft spring foliage,<br />
and manv wiid aFiple tree5 in<br />
biossom, were a picture to<br />
Botcrnical Outing<br />
June 4th, 1954<br />
Favoured by a war,m, sunny afternoon.<br />
the Botanical section of<br />
the Wl-ritbv <strong>Naturalists</strong>' Club<br />
enioyed the second outing of the<br />
season, under the leadership of Mrs.<br />
T. Wiikinson. and Miss Jean Wilkinson<br />
on Saturday. Twenty-two members<br />
were welcomed at the bus terminus<br />
at Sleights. and the walk<br />
throuAh meadow and woodland Proce,eded<br />
in the direction of the old<br />
Manor Farm, Eskoalegates. By Permission<br />
of Mr. G. Pearson, the carttrack<br />
was followed through the<br />
meadows to the o1d Chapel ot<br />
Hermitaee. where the ancient legend<br />
associated with the ruins and the<br />
planting of the Pennv Hedge was<br />
iecalled. After crossing the lailway,<br />
rr'.itlr permissiun of the Br'itish Railwav:.<br />
the monks' Path across the<br />
fietds from Thistle Crove was fo]lowed<br />
f or some distance in the<br />
remember. The long spell of cold,<br />
dry winds had retar'ded growtl:" but<br />
there was plentv to see and find.<br />
The leader rernarkd it was a sad<br />
tact tbat our rare British flowers<br />
were dying out, owing chiefly to<br />
ruthJess picking an6 up-rooting, to<br />
more land being cultivated, and to<br />
the grea,ter facilities for more<br />
people tb get out into the countryside.<br />
A flower's seeds were its<br />
chief mean5 of reproduction, and<br />
some cf the flowers. as in the case<br />
of our native o,rchids took years<br />
to corne to maturity.<br />
The watked endcd at Egton<br />
Bridge with tea at the Station<br />
Hotel by invitatioq o,f Colonel and<br />
Mrs. Pewsey,<br />
directio,nof Nevrbigin. Refreshed<br />
by tea, a discussion of the botanical<br />
specimens found en route followed;<br />
the party then returning through the<br />
Woodlands to Sleights Bridge. Just<br />
over a hundred specimens were<br />
noted. which included alternate.<br />
leaved saxifrage, adder's-tongu€<br />
tcrn. green-wing;ed orclris. archangel<br />
and oendulous sedge. It was inferesrinA<br />
to find thaf one-third of the<br />
ninety-nine fa'rnilies, into which<br />
Messrs. Bentham and Hooker have<br />
divided British Wild, Flowers. were<br />
renresented bv l"hose f ouni during<br />
thb walk.<br />
'The<br />
spells of cold<br />
weather had sornewhat retarded<br />
giowlh, but it was Pleasing to<br />
observe the hawthorns. fragrant<br />
with maY blossom; and crab-apple,<br />
mountain ash and hol'lv flowering in<br />
abundance.
"I*,4 .Qv !!iss V. Brown, members<br />
or whttbv NaturalisLs' Club enioved<br />
q. .t9ng rarnble in the Kettlbriess<br />
grslrrct on .saturday. After assembung.,.wlrs.<br />
Adshead-Breckon referred<br />
ro 1f e p'asslng of their fetlow_<br />
memDer. the Rev. Maloo,im<br />
bucnannan_, and the party observed<br />
a snorr srle_nce as a tribute to his<br />
memory. Miss Brown explainid<br />
Llrat<br />
Ipe nan?_e l(ettleness is derived from<br />
Outing to Kettleness<br />
acco-rdin_g to Walter ^White:<br />
rne ,,KetUes"<br />
.nouows _or in the<br />
ff ii"? rifrH"1.ff u",'l ?,i"uT"l,i:l<br />
tr)ot-hotes or ci,rcular holes scoured<br />
:lL^ir ?".99|qd<br />
by the swirring<br />
9glrgn_ qI pebbtes are known as<br />
"Ketlles" from their resernUtiir6e J6<br />
rne torm of .cauldrons.<br />
Qgme- ppop]e,<br />
h.owever, Iiken the heaorano to Uhe<br />
snalpe O,t a ketile.<br />
, The party walked from Kettleness<br />
19 rne 'hgmlet of Goldsborough alonq<br />
the-road past thte church and thE<br />
June 16th, 1954.<br />
fB "Lucly Dog,s point,, and the<br />
Coa.stguard_ Stati-on. f-ovetv--iiewi<br />
!g!l !_e^en- obtained at heightJof fr'ori<br />
.tuu-cU1-, Iee.t ab'ove sea-IeveL of Lhe<br />
coasrltne lrom Saltwick Nab in the<br />
soutn-€ast to Runswick Bay and<br />
Boulby Cliff in the north-we-st. --<br />
.Atter a picnic tea,. the party pro_<br />
ceeded along the clifl top in ^ttre<br />
oqp.oste direct ion lowards Ru,ns_<br />
8i!"p5"?qii i,1: f:*?:yfi'*i:<br />
no.red,^ "cat" meaning the clayev 'f3* soil<br />
rurl ot stones and ,,butt" derioting a<br />
{neeung cushron or hassock. At<br />
utaymore _Well it was said rhat<br />
rarrles used to wash their linen in<br />
!{19. . _splirng and the noise of their<br />
"bittles" was heard more thin --l,wo<br />
le,ld ,knoJvn es ..Scratch mrles awav.<br />
-<br />
Alley," so-<br />
Thg botanists among the partv<br />
lounct. many . specimens of flowers<br />
and plants. Airnong the less common<br />
were. corn spurrey, rayless-mayweed,<br />
lYjyll?9-1 Iarge purple hea4ed zig_<br />
called, dou,btless, from -t-trJ"'sto'rie<br />
known as scretch, which forms the<br />
s[rarum. jfiIrred,iately helow the soil.<br />
Alte.-rnatively, "Old Scratc6;- wil<br />
anoun€r name for the<br />
was<br />
devil. A halt<br />
made. ;1,o inspect the<br />
Court outside<br />
euoild<br />
the - za g- clover,_ bloody cr'anes-Uitl, ire-m'_<br />
.tock, corrl bugloss, comtrron mallow.<br />
v-lscuous gr-oundsel, hoary plantain,<br />
mouse-_ear hawk-weed. woim_wood<br />
r1n Dudr. mtil
Excursion to Mulgrave OId Ccrstle<br />
JuIy 2nd, 1954<br />
<strong>Whitby</strong> <strong>Naturalists</strong>' Club heid a<br />
joint meeting with the Scarborough<br />
Archaeological Societv on Saturday,<br />
when they visited Mulgrave Old<br />
CasUe under the leradership of Mrs.<br />
Adshead-Breckon. The walk through<br />
Mulgrave Woods was much enjoyed.<br />
the trees heavy with foliage and<br />
very beautiful indeed. Affeiclimbing<br />
the steep path up 10 the ruins<br />
the party enjoyed the magnificent<br />
view and realised what a strong<br />
position the Castle commanded.<br />
The most interesfing part of the<br />
ruins still rernaining are the six-feet<br />
thick outside waIls, the great west<br />
gate with its circular towers, the<br />
north-east tower built in 1340, and<br />
the keep, originailv a square tower<br />
to which four angle towers were<br />
added about 1290.<br />
Mrs. Adshead-Breckon s cetched<br />
the historv of Mulgrave from the<br />
days of the Saxon Wada, not forgetting<br />
the leg'end of Giant Wade. Mulgrave<br />
is finst p"n1lott"d in Domesday<br />
when it was the ho,me of a Dane<br />
called ;Sven, and after the Norman<br />
Conques,t it was given to Nigel<br />
Fossard. It rernained in Fossard<br />
hands and was ealled Foss Castle<br />
until 1195, when the last male<br />
Fossard died, leaving an only<br />
daughter who married Rober,t de<br />
Turnharn, and their daughter<br />
Isabella married Peter de Mauley.<br />
There were edght successive Lords of<br />
Mulgrave with the name Peter de<br />
Mauley. the last dying about 141b<br />
\4ithout children, and the estate then<br />
passed to his sister Cbnstance, who<br />
marrierq Sir Jotrn Bigod. The Bigods<br />
reigned at Muigrave about 120 years,<br />
the iasl one, Sir Francis, being sentcnced<br />
to death for his p,art in trhe<br />
Pilgrimage o{ Glace in 1537. II,is<br />
daughter married Roger Radcliffe,<br />
but their son Francis was the last<br />
Radcliffe to live at Mulgrave. In<br />
7592 the castle was granted to<br />
Edmund, Lor.d Sheffield, who in 1628<br />
was created EarI of Mulgrave. The<br />
fourth earl was made Duke of Nor-<br />
manby and Buckingham, and<br />
although he married three tirnes all<br />
his children died young. The lease<br />
of the castle was a,fterwards granted<br />
by George II. to Constantine Phipps,<br />
a grandson by a former m.arriage of<br />
Katherine, the Duke's third wife.<br />
Constantine Henry Phipps was<br />
created Marquess of Normanby in<br />
1838, and the present Marquess is<br />
the fourth.<br />
,\fter the destruction of the castle<br />
by order of Parliament, it ceased to<br />
be a reside.nce, though the damage<br />
was not nearly s'o severe as in many<br />
other castles. Much of the stone tras<br />
been taken away for building elsewhere,<br />
and what rem,ains has graduaJly<br />
,fallen into a state of neglecl<br />
rand decay.<br />
Botcrniccrl Visit to " Woodl<strong>crnd</strong>s," Sleights<br />
Favoured with a g<strong>lor</strong>ious summer<br />
afternoon, members of the Botanical<br />
Section of Whitbv Naturaiists' Club<br />
exp<strong>lor</strong>ed the drive ,and private<br />
grounds of "Woodlands," S.ieighis,<br />
on Saturday, bv permission of Miss<br />
Yeoman, studying various kinds of<br />
trees. Dr. W. A. Millard. who led<br />
the excursion, showed the p,arty how<br />
to distinguish be'tween tn-e pines, fins<br />
and cypresses o.f which there were<br />
rnany good specimens, including a<br />
handsome group of Douglas Firs.<br />
Among the deciduous trees were<br />
July 3rd, 1954.<br />
11<br />
some fine hornbeams (rarely seen in<br />
the north), horse chestnuts, oaks,<br />
beeches, elms, sycarnores and limes.<br />
The leader said he thought it was a<br />
great pity that lirnesr weie not more<br />
comrnonly used as ornamental trees<br />
in ou'r ,towns, where they grow<br />
extrernely well and are more suitable<br />
than sycamores. Appreciation<br />
was expre'ss-ed to Miss Y^ebman for<br />
the privilege she had extended to<br />
the Club, and a oe,llection was made<br />
for the funds' of the Red Cboss.
Mount Grqce Priory Visited<br />
July 23rd, 1954.<br />
A party of members of <strong>Whitby</strong><br />
Naturaiists' Club visited Mount<br />
Grace Priory, near Northallerton.<br />
under the leadership of Mr.<br />
Wilflrid Wood, on Saturday.<br />
As arranged by Mr. Arthur<br />
Smith, the route taken from<br />
<strong>Whitby</strong> was via Lealholm, Castleton,<br />
Commondale, Kildale Ingleby<br />
Greenhow and Broughton, the<br />
return iournew being made via<br />
Stokesley an
Visit to Danby <strong>crnd</strong> Ccrstleton<br />
On Saturday members of the<br />
aroheoloeical -section of WhitbY<br />
Naturalis{s's Club enjoyed exp<strong>lor</strong>ing<br />
the remains of the old castles of<br />
Danby and 'Castleton, under the<br />
leadeiship of Mr. F. G. Askew' After<br />
July 30th, 1954.<br />
a coach'journey through beautiful<br />
countrvsiae bathed in sunshine, the<br />
nartv stopped at the Castleton sile<br />
'on 'Castl-e- ttitl. Here tbev were<br />
ioined bv Mr. F. Weatherill, the<br />
banbv mison who carved the Elgee<br />
me,mdrial on Castleton moor and<br />
who volunteered nr,uch interesting<br />
information.<br />
The feudal fortress of Castleton<br />
was founded by Robert de Brus<br />
about 1092. It would consist of a<br />
wooden building surrounded bY a<br />
stockade as a Motte and Bailey type<br />
of castle. but was re-built in stone<br />
bv Adam de Brus abou1. 100 Years<br />
laier. lt rvas shaPed like a horse<br />
shoe, and was of the Shell KeeP<br />
tvne. with a turret tower on each<br />
sirie'guarding the main entrance,.in<br />
front of which was a d.rawbrldge<br />
simitar to Mulgrave OId Castle.<br />
Nothing now remains excepl-a few<br />
vards 6f walling on the north side,<br />
bbout thirteen feet thick' The castle<br />
stood. with a surrounding moat, on<br />
the northern extremity of Castleton<br />
On Saturday, twentY-nine mem-<br />
bers of the - Botanical Section of<br />
Whitbv iNa,turalists' ,C1ub met at<br />
Fvlind'Hall Slation, which, as usual,<br />
was b-eautifully laid out with flowering<br />
plants, and was much admired'<br />
Th.-e -partv stood in silence for one<br />
minuie iir me,mory of their late<br />
member, Miss C. PoPPle. From the<br />
station. under the leadership of Mrs.<br />
E]lam. thev made Uheir wav into the<br />
valley and through Lhe woods to<br />
Howdale Gorgel across the beck, and<br />
uD a steeD inEline on the other side'<br />
pisiine the Old School. A Pic-nic<br />
iea whs enjoY-ed on the heather<br />
which, except -for the BelI variety'<br />
Bridge overlooking the River Esk,<br />
and iommanded a vierv oI the main<br />
road between Rosedale and Guisborough.<br />
A stone mantelpiece. from<br />
the oastle, taken from a house in the<br />
villaee. is now in the Masonic [IaIl<br />
at S5ltburn. In 1300, the fami-IY o{<br />
Latimer, then the owners, abandonect<br />
the,old feudal fortress at Castleto4,<br />
and besan to build Danby Castle<br />
which the <strong>Naturalists</strong> also visited.<br />
Thi,s proved quite an adventrrre,<br />
as Danby was one of the earliest<br />
types of balace fortresses, completed<br />
about 1302. A gruesome dungeon<br />
was inspected with shudders of<br />
dismav. but more cheerful were a<br />
kitchen with a hure fireplace and<br />
larse holes at either side where the<br />
doq:s were kept that turned the sPit,<br />
anii a small chaPel. The most<br />
interesting fact about Danbv Castle<br />
is that some upPer rooms are srul<br />
used. one beine where the Court<br />
Llel'jutv meet. 'A' plan of the castle<br />
showi that 'it was'quadrangular in<br />
shape, with square turret towers at<br />
each corner. with a courtyard in tle<br />
middle. In the iurv room rs an olo<br />
oak chest in *hiCh manv ancient<br />
documents were .tound some Years<br />
aeo. It fastened with iron bands and<br />
n6 less than five locks'<br />
Botcrniccrl Section ForcrY<br />
August 13th, 1954.<br />
was no't vet a,t its best. The return<br />
iournev 1o the Station was bY a<br />
hinereirt route, via Browside Fhrm,<br />
across the railwav and several fields.<br />
owins 1o the vaiietY of the walk:<br />
throu"qh woods, meadows and moor-<br />
Iand. a good manv different-sp€cies<br />
of flowers were noted, over <strong>lor</strong>rY ln<br />
alt. To list a- f6w of. them-giant<br />
white campanula. climbing. corydalis'<br />
St. John's wol'ts and hawkweeds rn<br />
variety, cathartic fl'ax, dwarf malIow,<br />
trioerti bugloss. marsh and Pale<br />
willow her6, black brionY, etc. The<br />
sun shone brightlly all the afternoon,<br />
ind the ourting - was very much<br />
enjoyed.<br />
13
When <strong>Whitby</strong> Wqs Industricrl<br />
An excursion of absorbing interest<br />
w,as enjoyed by members' of Whithy<br />
<strong>Naturalists</strong>' Club on Saturdav. The<br />
thriving industriai district -of the<br />
<strong>Whitby</strong> of manv years ago from Bog<br />
llall to Ruswarp was ably reconstructed<br />
by Mrs. F. S,tory, who produced<br />
old pictures to illustrate her<br />
remarks. At the outset the large<br />
party examined the exterior of Bog<br />
HaIl, dated 1719, and the gardens,<br />
then proceeded ,to the site nearby<br />
where Richardson's tannery stood in<br />
7707.<br />
The houses clustered at the foot of<br />
Waterstead Lene, formerly ttre<br />
narrow "\f,atering" Lane, were built<br />
for the workpeople. A foobpath<br />
beside the tannery was 'the only<br />
means of reaching Ruswarp in the<br />
days before the railway was built.<br />
Watering Lane nan down,to the river<br />
where there was a ford, and was<br />
probablv the most ancient track in<br />
<strong>Whitby</strong>, and, a cen,tury ago, was the<br />
busiest par,t. Roperies stretched<br />
along the present site. of Esk Terrace,<br />
and nearbv stood the Esk Inn,<br />
herring houses, and an icehouse<br />
where ice iblocks brought from<br />
Sweden were J
Ncrturcrlisls' Entertcrined<br />
Memrbers of Wihitby <strong>Naturalists</strong>'<br />
Club were guests of Scarborough<br />
Aroheological Societv at Scarborough<br />
oh Saturday. At the Wood<br />
End Natural Histor.y Museum th€y<br />
were welcomed by Mr. G. Watson,<br />
the curator, who conducted the<br />
party round this very delightlul and<br />
interesting mr.nseum-the Mammal<br />
Ha11. the- British Bird Rooms, the<br />
Foreian Bird Room, the Fish and<br />
Repti]-e Room. the Geological Room<br />
anii the Vivarium. Mr. Watson<br />
explained many of the more impor-<br />
tant exhibits, and answered<br />
nu.merous questions, his intimate<br />
knowledge and sense of humour<br />
being much appreciated. Wood End<br />
Following heavy rains, it was an<br />
agreeable rsur,prise that Saturday<br />
was preceded by two fine days,<br />
which made the excursion to Stony<br />
Moor possi'ble under almost ideal<br />
conditions. About thirty mernbers<br />
of the Botanical section took part,<br />
under the leadership of Mr. W.<br />
Geary. The route was by Raygate<br />
Slack, where there is a fine example<br />
of an old style sheep-waLsh, with its<br />
irregularly-shaped fold into which<br />
the shee,p were herded; ihe washbeak<br />
in which tfrey were cleansed<br />
before cJipping:. and the cleugh b,y<br />
which the water was afterwards<br />
allowed to pass down into the Cil1.<br />
Washing the sheep in this manner<br />
was practised before 'the present<br />
dipping methods came into use. The<br />
details of the walk had been planned<br />
to confirm to t he availabJ.e train<br />
service to Levisham Station, and<br />
although the time-fac'tor made it<br />
irrxpraclicable 1o collect many specimens,<br />
there were some interesting<br />
finds, including great valerian, tway<br />
blade, wall lettuce, arnd spearwort. It<br />
was essentially a he,atther walk, and<br />
August 271h,1954.<br />
is the former homg of the Sitwell<br />
family, and the Library wing has<br />
been arranged for the display of a<br />
collection of printed books, manuscripls.<br />
drawings and other objects<br />
associaled wirh the Sibwells, including<br />
the famous portrait of ttle family<br />
by J. S. Sargent. The mernbers went<br />
on to the ;Scafborough Art Gallery<br />
and enjoyed seeing many beautiful<br />
and interesting pictures, and later<br />
spent some time at ;the fine old<br />
Piarish C'hurch of Si. Mary's, almost<br />
in the shadow of Scarborough Casfle.<br />
In the chur'chyard is the grave of<br />
Anne Bronte. The return journey to<br />
<strong>Whitby</strong> was through beatiful Harwood<br />
Dale,<br />
Excursion to Stony Moor<br />
September 3rd, 1954.<br />
on Stony Moor cross-leafed heath<br />
and purple heath were noted among<br />
the ling or true heather. This moor<br />
is a small heatherlclad tract covered<br />
with numerous boulders consisting<br />
of estuarine grits and sandstone,<br />
along with quartz and quartzite,<br />
authoritatively stated to have been<br />
brought down during the Ice Age by<br />
the rush of water from the head of<br />
Wheeldale. There are also many<br />
"standing stones in circular and oval<br />
form,ation, erected by pre-historic<br />
tribes. During the tea interval mention<br />
was madti of the close proximity<br />
of th,e partv to the site of the<br />
two-centuries-old Raindale MilI.<br />
Opportunity was taken to visit the<br />
St. John's Church, at Newton-upon-<br />
Rawcliffe, and to see a ;turret clock<br />
example<br />
-an<br />
of fine craftsrnanship.<br />
The atmosphere wa's very clear<br />
throughout the afternoon, and the<br />
views var,ied and magnificent.<br />
Returning to the Station, Mrs. A.<br />
d'O. Brown ex'p'ressed the trhanlrs of<br />
the memrbers for a very successful<br />
outing.<br />
TJ
Enioycrble Rcrmble lrom Gocthlcnd<br />
Members of Whjtby Natu.ralists'<br />
CIub enjoyed a delightful moorland<br />
walk on Saturday, led bv Mrs. L.<br />
Hollings, Darnholm, Goathland.<br />
They went via T'wo tlowes and<br />
Sim'on Howe to Hunt House. follow-<br />
ing a track. used_ ,by pre-historic<br />
lng a lrack- used. by pre-hlstoric<br />
man<br />
-more . than 4,000 years ago.<br />
Proof of h.is existence. mainjly as a<br />
hunrter, pu^nrtgr,. hunter, is provided provided by the flints flints he<br />
ielL le.tt behind, oerllno, marnty mainly of ot a mesolithic mesolrtntc<br />
character, micro)iths. neeqle-shaped<br />
pieces, and a few tew neolith neo.l.rthtc arrow<br />
heads. neaqs. The TEe '1he party partv sathered gathered together<br />
at Simon Howe, where Mrs. Hollings<br />
e{plained that lound Howes, such as<br />
Simon Howe, were o{ the Bronze<br />
Age. and honoured the most impor-<br />
tanl ps6pls of the tribes. Siniilar<br />
Howes could be seen in a1I directiols,<br />
Foster Howe, Louvain Howe,<br />
T;i]la Howe, fligh Woof Howe, anci<br />
olhers whic,h were unnamed. Some<br />
of the Howes were surrounded by a<br />
ring of contiguous stones, two to<br />
three feet high, and others had a<br />
secold circle inside the ring. What<br />
lav b.eneath the Howes coild only<br />
be ascertained by expert excavalion.<br />
She explained -in iome detail the<br />
work carried out at Loose Howe by<br />
Dr. Elgee, who found a boat burial<br />
with an oak leaf coffin and lid.<br />
accom,panied by aa eight feet boat,<br />
dug out and beautifullv shaped.<br />
Inside the coffin there ha-d beeir a<br />
f911. length inhum'ation of a fully<br />
cloth.ed man. tris shoes on his feet,hii<br />
bronze dagger at his hip. and his<br />
head resting on a piltow, possibly<br />
covered with linen fdbric.<br />
T'1he first mention of, Sirnon Howe<br />
was in May, 1294, when a Goarthl,and<br />
man, Hugh Prudrhomrrne, with four<br />
com'pranions, killed three hinds with<br />
bows and arrows on Simon Howe<br />
\[oss, and carried them to a sheeofold<br />
at Littlebe,ck-a daring deed<br />
because it was heavilly ounishable to<br />
hunt deer in Pickeringfcirest, with the<br />
risk of oullawry and even deiath. Thai<br />
September 10th, 1954.<br />
prart of the moor was always within<br />
the.Regard of the Forest, lnd once<br />
ln trrree yqalg a jury of freeholders<br />
made a detail survey of woods and<br />
clltured ground. FLom thal record<br />
they le'arned lhat in the four{eenth<br />
century the value of draught'oxen<br />
was 2s. 8d. to 3s. 4d eacLr, and wagons<br />
were 6d. each. In the account blook<br />
of the Constable of Pickerine Castle<br />
in 7322 was the entrv: "For -itre sale<br />
oI dry wood for the- use of a smelting<br />
place and charcoal faotorv in<br />
Wheeldale 13s. 11d.: also foi- a<br />
licence for Robert Short, smith, Lo<br />
reside ther€ 5s." Wheeldale was<br />
evidentlv the scene of considerahle<br />
aclivitv in those days. There was<br />
also mention of the lease of a house<br />
yjth meadows and pastures -in<br />
Wheeld,ale for the surn- of 13s. 4d..<br />
and the occupier was Tho.mas de<br />
Huntthouse. He was a man of some<br />
importancg and the name Hunt<br />
Houise remained. I'hroughout the<br />
seventeen.th and eighteenth century<br />
the land was leased to successive<br />
sheep farmers, bul as a sheep strav<br />
il became most no'ted durine lhe lif-e<br />
time ot Willie Smith of Hunt House.<br />
born in 1821. He was a noted<br />
breeder of blackface sheep, and did<br />
much to improve thern.<br />
During the walk Winnev Nab<br />
could be seen, an imposine mass<br />
against the sky line, and Mrs.<br />
Hollings recalled that at one time<br />
Malo Cross stood oh its sumrnit. and<br />
thev could well imagine whai an<br />
rmporlant landmark it must have<br />
been.<br />
Although it is generallv regarded<br />
as a poor year dor heather, sorne<br />
beau,tiful st:etches of purple were<br />
seen, and some members were<br />
fortunate enough to find some pieces<br />
of whirle heather. Mr. Hickman<br />
expressed the Club's thanks to Mrs.<br />
H^ollings for what was a deligh,tful<br />
alternoon.<br />
lo
At B<strong>crnd</strong>ymere<br />
September 17th, 1954.<br />
Eneircled by lofty Scotch Pines,<br />
Douglas firs and Japanese larches<br />
Iike guardian angels, RandYmere<br />
Reservoir lay cradled in serene<br />
loveliness under warm sunshine and<br />
fleecy white clouds on Saturday wtren<br />
visited by the <strong>Whitby</strong> <strong>Naturalists</strong>'<br />
Club.<br />
Under the leadership of Mr. Ben<br />
Tay<strong>lor</strong>, the party spent a memorable<br />
afternoon walking round the reservoir,<br />
exp<strong>lor</strong>ing the surrounding<br />
woodlands, and examining the<br />
ch<strong>lor</strong>ination house. The reservoir,<br />
which is lined with concrete, is<br />
unusual as it is not an orthodox<br />
type. Here, instead of a single dam<br />
ac-ross a valley holding back the<br />
waters of a stream, are two dams,<br />
one at each end, and no stream. The<br />
water comes from Wheeldale GiIl,<br />
Huley Spring, Oakley Beck, The<br />
Oaks and Hazel Head Springs. The<br />
Comoanv which built the reservoir<br />
for 'futriiby was first {ormed in 1864.<br />
In the woods Mr. A. Wood noticed<br />
two uncommon birds, the tiny goiderest<br />
and the tree creeper' as well<br />
as a peacock butterfly. Mr. Tay<strong>lor</strong><br />
told the members that Randymere<br />
was unique in providing ideal conditions<br />
for many different species of<br />
birds, both resident and migratorY,<br />
through the combination of pine<br />
woods, moorland, sheltered valley<br />
and the water itself. He mentioned<br />
the pigeons as the chief nesters in<br />
tla pine trees, unfortunately prey.ed<br />
upon by carrion crows and jays.<br />
Kestrels, nightjars, sparrow hawks,<br />
tawny owls, most of the tit family,<br />
and cole tits were also found.<br />
Winter flocks include crossbills and<br />
siskings. The latter do not normally<br />
nest in this country at aII. Redstarts<br />
are very common in the summer,<br />
also wil1ow warblers and wood<br />
wrens. The reservoir itself attracts<br />
dipoers. two kinds of wagtails, the<br />
pibt and the g:'ey sandpipei-s. herons.<br />
greenshanl(s and many krnds 01<br />
duck. as well as mallard. Teal nest<br />
in the vicinity every year but the<br />
young seldom reach maturity. Game<br />
and rabbits are not plentiful' but<br />
loxes are often seen. An occasional<br />
visitor was an otter. The grey is<br />
now the only kind of squirrel found.<br />
Every year, on the first really fine<br />
day of spring, a watch was kept for<br />
the arrival of the toads. These make<br />
their annual pilgrimage to the water<br />
to breed, and their appearance was<br />
spectacu<strong>lor</strong>. One day there was<br />
none to be seen, the next they were<br />
evervwhere. The reservoir keePer<br />
had his work cut out diverting them<br />
to the pond at the Julian Park end,<br />
and abbut a month later the Pond<br />
was black with tadpoles. AnY spawn<br />
q'hich should appear in the reservoir<br />
was believed to be eaten bY trout<br />
as it quickly disappeared.<br />
The thanks of the party to Mr.<br />
Tay<strong>lor</strong> were expressed by Miss<br />
Keigh1ey.<br />
L7
Dcys of Smugglers Reccrlled<br />
The old. bad days oI smuggling<br />
were revived <strong>lor</strong> Whitbv <strong>Naturalists</strong><br />
on Saturday, wlhen Mrs. Brodrick<br />
Robinson led a large party of club<br />
member:s to exp<strong>lor</strong>e the Ugglebarnby<br />
and Sneaton dis,tricts. At De,an<br />
Hall Mrs. Robinson said that some<br />
people think it used to be "D,ane's<br />
HoIe," where the Danes, who<br />
infested this part from time to time,<br />
made tbeir .Cood and grain store. It<br />
is knorvn that just outside Mr.<br />
Noble's farmhouse there is an und.erground<br />
tunnel with five ste,p,s leading<br />
down to an uncertain 'destination,<br />
possiblv to South House or the<br />
Red Barn. The latter is notorious<br />
for being the scene of the arrest of<br />
Father Postgate, wlho was thg last<br />
priest from this district to be<br />
murdered, if not the last. at York.<br />
So much smuggLing took place<br />
round about in the olden davs- that<br />
a hiding hole f or contraband was<br />
essential, and when the hole at Dean<br />
Hall was opened about fortv years<br />
ago wood was found similar to that<br />
used for rum casks.<br />
Uggiebarnbv was at one time a<br />
hot bed of smuggling. Imaginations<br />
were stirred in hair-raisin,g fashion<br />
bv Mrs. Robinson's word giiLures of<br />
a bnnd of smugglers on a dark<br />
night, when the tide washed up, to<br />
Glen Esk, guiding their donkeys<br />
laden with contraband and soirits<br />
along the Monks' Trods to this place<br />
of safety, the leading donkey having<br />
a tinkling bel1. Stories of ghosts<br />
abounded, and a well-known one<br />
was supposed to haunt !"itts Steps.<br />
The party proceeded down a<br />
rough track known as Tom Bell's<br />
Lane to the ruins of South House,<br />
now in the last stages of decay, budlt<br />
by a mem'ber of the Strangways<br />
family. This was probrably Sir<br />
Ridhrard Strangways of Qrmesby and<br />
Sneaton, whose eldest son mar,ried<br />
lVlarqaret Chotlmley, daughter of trhe<br />
"Black Knight," who dou, tless lived<br />
at the o1d Sneaton Castle in the<br />
Another Strangways married into<br />
the Mitford familv of Northumberland<br />
and Hunm,anby Hall, Filey. It<br />
September 241h, 1954<br />
18<br />
is interesting that this ltral1 in<br />
WhiLby Strand became the propertv<br />
of Sir Isaac Newton's famiiv inout<br />
1700. Later it belonged -to the<br />
Seaton Gray family.<br />
The vvalk continued to Uggle_<br />
barnby. so called from EglebertlJith<br />
the long, or "owl" beaid. At one<br />
time.il was a township of some 600<br />
people. returning two members to<br />
Parliamenr. "Ye OIde poor House;'<br />
is be<strong>lor</strong>.v the church, and the site of<br />
the moat which surroun.ded the old<br />
Manor Tlo_use can plainly be seen.<br />
Ul partrcular interest was the ,.Mor,'.<br />
or, -as .the lo,cals .call it, the<br />
"Tinkler" stone, now standing'in lhe<br />
grounds oI the present Manor House,<br />
the home ol Mr. and Mrs. D.<br />
fin'lqrey, who were warm,ly thanked<br />
b.v Colonel Pewsey for welcomine<br />
the. parlv. This slone is a foreigi<br />
body to the sandstone of iliis<br />
countryside and experts think it was<br />
b:ought Jrom the North b.y glacial<br />
action. Doubtless the locai'worthies<br />
ga,the're.d together round it. There<br />
nqay be some connecfion betwden<br />
the stone and the farm known as<br />
"Tinklers"rHall lower down the road<br />
wirich, bearing the date 1682 on an<br />
east window, was a famous meeting<br />
nlena fnr cmrrooJarc<br />
At the church, where Mrs. Robinson's<br />
grandfather, the Rev. John<br />
Brodrick preached the firsrt sermon<br />
as Rector of Snea,ton, trwo pillars<br />
were seen in the porch taken from<br />
the original Saxon- church. also one<br />
oI the only lour "Judas" stained<br />
glass windows in this country. The<br />
lrctern. hold,ing semi-precious stones,<br />
is a copy of that in Sandringham<br />
Church, and the ancient pew sides<br />
came from Burv St. Edmunds.<br />
The excursion ended with a visit<br />
to the interesting church at Sneaton<br />
and the Beacon, which was first<br />
lighted to give warning of the sighting<br />
lhe Spranrish Armada. In modern<br />
tjmes it is used for Coronations and<br />
other events of national im,portance.<br />
A cordial vote of thanks was<br />
p.assed to Mrs. Robinson -for a<br />
delightful archeological outing.
,R<br />
I<br />
,*<br />
I<br />
,i<br />
I<br />
*<br />
Favoured wiflh ideal weather,<br />
seventeen members of <strong>Whitby</strong><br />
<strong>Naturalists</strong>' Club had an enjo,yalble<br />
fungus foray to Mulgrave Woods, by<br />
permission of ,the Marquis of Normanby,<br />
on Saturday. Miss J.<br />
Wiliiamson and Miss J. E. Wilkinson<br />
were the leaders, and in spite of the<br />
cold and wet summer, a fair number<br />
o.f specimens were found. including<br />
twenty-five basidiom;ucetes, Iive<br />
gasteromycetes, and two ascomycetes.<br />
A specimen of lycoperdon<br />
Whitbv <strong>Naturalists</strong>' Club held an<br />
open.mee_ting -to1 talks and exhibits<br />
at the beginning of the winter<br />
session on Saturday, when eight<br />
members contributed to an interestln<br />
d nr^,drcmme<br />
Mirs Y. Brown gave an amusing<br />
account of her quest in search of<br />
the bee orchis, and Mr. P. R. Hickman<br />
recounted his enjoyment of a<br />
nine mile walk in ihe lovely dis-<br />
trict betrveen Rosedale and Farndale,<br />
along the old. mineral railway<br />
track made in 1860 for the lronstone<br />
mines then worked irn Roseda<br />
e va,lley.<br />
Mr. A. Smith read an- original<br />
letter, written in diary form in 1834,<br />
from a Whitbv emigrant during the<br />
agricultua:al depression in this<br />
country. Hs and his famiiy saileci<br />
i1 one o,f the orld, wooden ships<br />
which took six weeks 'and three<br />
days to cross the Atlantic to Canada.<br />
The hazards of the trip were<br />
vividly describeci.<br />
A particularly interesting account<br />
of mo,les and their habits was given<br />
by Mrs. O. Adshead-Breckon.<br />
"P1a,nts out of Season" w'as the<br />
Fungus Forcy<br />
October 2nd, 1954.<br />
Members' Tqlks<br />
October 22nd,, 1954.<br />
bovista, the size of a large football,<br />
was brought by a mernber, and wds<br />
examined at the beginning of the<br />
walk, before enteling the Woods<br />
near Sandsend Church to p,roceed by<br />
the Tunnel and coach road. Tihe<br />
beauties ol autumn, and the changing<br />
Ioliage were much appreciated.<br />
Specimens collected were displayed<br />
and classified including a specimen<br />
of Boletus versico<strong>lor</strong>, which was the<br />
host of hypomyces ehrysosp,ermus<br />
subject chosen by Mrs. C. lM.<br />
Brown wbo displayed specimens of<br />
pear blossom, primrose, wander<br />
primrcse, deronicum, aub,retia, rock<br />
rose and rock campanul,a now in<br />
oloom.<br />
Prints and pictures of o1d <strong>Whitby</strong><br />
thsatl es wele stkroll'n by Miss M.<br />
Keighley who said the firs'f of<br />
these was the "New Theatle," built<br />
in 1763 in Scate Lane. now Brunswick<br />
Street. Ii was afterwards<br />
known as "The Theatre," then it<br />
becalne the "Theatre Royal"l<br />
FinaIIy firc destroyed the building.<br />
and a room in Baxtergate was fitte6<br />
up, but this was aiso 'burnt down.<br />
The Spa Theatre used to be called<br />
"Tl:re Saloon."<br />
A good specimen of a Bronze Age<br />
axe head, dating from 500 B.C. was<br />
shown by Mr. F. G. Askew. It had<br />
been found on ground at Gl:aisdale,<br />
between the main road and the<br />
river, callerd Gfrryll Slack.<br />
i\{is^; M- C. Wa1ker made a plea<br />
{ol ciiscretion in picking rose-hips<br />
as they provided lood for birds in<br />
the wiurter.<br />
10
Autumncrl Chcnges Seen in the<br />
Countryside<br />
October 29th, 1954<br />
Colonel C. Pewsey presided over<br />
a large attendance at a meeting of<br />
<strong>Whitby</strong> <strong>Naturalists</strong>' Club on S,aturday.<br />
when the secretary of the Club.<br />
Mrs. O. Adshead-Brec]
Corn Grinding Methods<br />
November 5th, 1954.<br />
Mr. A. F. Bury Ugthorpe,<br />
addressed members of WhitbY<br />
Naturailists' Club on Saturday on<br />
"The Evolution of Corn Grinding<br />
and the Development of Water<br />
Mills." Mr. Burv has helped to -make<br />
a survey of water mills in ths Nortl!<br />
of Engl-and for the dual PurPose of<br />
investigating their potential usefulness<br />
as generators of electricity or<br />
other sources of power, and also<br />
their historieal and mechanical<br />
interest.<br />
NIr. Burv said evidence existed<br />
that corn - grinding was Practised<br />
trom earliest limes bY means ot<br />
stones or "querns" worked bY hand<br />
amonsst nrimitive tribes in Northern<br />
trndia. in -Africa, and by the Australian<br />
aborigings. Thg w-ord "Quern"<br />
was derived form the Sanscrit verb<br />
to rub or grind together. In<br />
Anslo Saxon. Dutch and Danish the<br />
woid was practicallv the same in<br />
pronunciatidn. The uie of the quern<br />
I'ent back to prehistoric times and<br />
its earliest abpiication. In this<br />
countrv it was -introduced about 100<br />
B.C. and in the "'Saddle" form; one<br />
stone rubbing backwards and forwards<br />
ov€r another. Livingstone<br />
mentioned the saddle form in his<br />
African travels, in Northern<br />
Nieeria the ball and bowl form was<br />
used, while in the 'Canary Isles they<br />
favoured the disc form of a pattern.<br />
Dr. Johnson also mentioned the<br />
ouern in his -iournal of his tour of<br />
the Hebrides. In the middle ages<br />
power was used for purposes other<br />
ihan erinding corn. Machines cut<br />
wrought iron bars into nail rods, and<br />
every castle, abbey or other comuniti<br />
had its own corn grinding mi]].<br />
Q61p mills formerly existed in<br />
Eskdale at Egton Bridge, AisIabY,<br />
Brissswath. Usglebarnby, Danby,<br />
Lea'iholm ind o[her plabes. Eighty<br />
nine mills .were mentioned as<br />
existinq at one time in Cleveland'<br />
Aftei the introduction of water<br />
mills machinerv replaced human<br />
labour [o a large extent. Water<br />
mil1s sprang up. At Present th-ele<br />
were tlwo classes of water mills,<br />
UiU Lathes and Dams, an example<br />
oi ttre latter being the mill a!<br />
Ruswarp which was also a tidal<br />
mill.<br />
Mr. Burv exhibited many Photographs<br />
and a fine model of a Shetland<br />
mill.<br />
Mr. Watson thanked the sPeaker<br />
for his instructivo talk.<br />
2l
CIub Entertained by Archeological<br />
Members<br />
November 12th,7954.<br />
Eleven members of the Archaological<br />
Section of Whitbv<br />
<strong>Naturalists</strong>' Club contributed to th"e<br />
meeting held on Saturday, and a<br />
number of beautiful photberanhs.<br />
taken by Miss Tindaie -duriris -thi<br />
sumrner outfligs, were on vie'"'i, and<br />
were greatly admired. N{r. A. Smith<br />
showed a map of the course of Bagdale<br />
Beck. and spoke of its imporiance<br />
in the past in the transport of<br />
slone .[rom Aislaby Quarries, -and of<br />
!!e. bqsy water mill built in Stakesby<br />
Vale in 1759. Mrs. Niven referred<br />
to the book "God's Graves and<br />
Qqhptqt-.' recently acquired by the<br />
Club Library. She mentioned corrections<br />
which had been made to<br />
certain erroneous statements in the<br />
book, and suggested these should be<br />
inserted in the Club's copy.<br />
. Miss P, Moxon gave an account of<br />
the summer meeting of the Roval<br />
Archeological Institute of Grbat<br />
Britain which she attended at<br />
Durham. She said it was a week of<br />
delightful and instructive lectures<br />
and outings to places of archaeological<br />
interest. Miss Keishlev told<br />
the ctub the history of a Celtic<br />
quern, now in the Museum. and<br />
which she acquired about fiftv'vears<br />
ago. It was found at Julian Park,<br />
near. Goathland, and was a verv flnd<br />
specimen, with both stones in'position.<br />
Experts placed it as belonking<br />
to the Iron Age, 100-200 B.C. -Mr.<br />
sand {eet in a distance of less than<br />
ten miles to join the sluggish River<br />
Derwelt. _ Before the Ice Age, he<br />
said, the Derwent entered the<br />
Jackson showed a letter written to<br />
the Rev. George Young, the historian<br />
in Whilby, from Mr. Thomas Hinderwell.<br />
of Scarborough, in 1817. giving<br />
lntormalton about manv of the<br />
churches in the dislrict. Mr. Hickman<br />
spoke of his walks in the Vale<br />
of Pickering, and of the many<br />
Etreams, some of which fell a thour<br />
'sea<br />
nerar Scarborough, and it still seemed<br />
celuctant to flow the other way.<br />
tle Rqv. C. C. Fowler produced a<br />
window blind cord to which was<br />
attached an acorn-shaped knob. He<br />
;alct the acorn shape was probablv a<br />
:elic of the Druidical -cult ol ihe<br />
racred oak, said to be the only tree<br />
lo give safe protection during<br />
inunders<strong>lor</strong>ms. As time went on,<br />
ecorns were regarded as, charms<br />
against lightning, and were often<br />
p)aced in the windows of dwellings.<br />
Ihe acorn-shaped knob to winddblinds<br />
still hung in manv modern<br />
wlndows,<br />
. Mrs. Erierley told of many visits to<br />
the Orkneys. which wer6 islands<br />
steeped in history and romance, wild<br />
and often inaccessible. She spoke in<br />
particular of one ancient chuich site<br />
on the tiny remote island. the<br />
Brough of Birsay, which had polsible<br />
association with St. Ninian. Excavations<br />
were particularly di,fficult there,<br />
owing to the fact that Viking settlements<br />
were always built or Pictish<br />
sltes.<br />
Mr. F. G. Askew described two old<br />
stone crosses at Sandbach which<br />
commemorate -the introduction of<br />
Christianitv into Mercia in 653.<br />
Mrs. O. Adshead-Breckon spoke of<br />
tJre discover.y within the lasl three<br />
years of an old Stone Age track, L20<br />
miles in length, from Berkshir'e to<br />
Grimes Graves in Norfoik, where<br />
there were the remains of many<br />
mine_shafts, and where, 5,000 years<br />
ago, Neolithic men dus flints for<br />
their spears and arrow heads.<br />
22
Lqntern tecture, " A Nclturclist's 'Holidcy "<br />
November 1gth, 1954.<br />
Mernbers of Whitiby lrlaturalists'<br />
Club were entertained on SaturdAy<br />
by a rseries of colour slides shown by<br />
Mr. I. Carr, head forester to the<br />
Mdlgrave Estate. coloned [L c.<br />
Pewsev introduced Mr. Carr, who<br />
explained his slides and entitled _his<br />
taLk "A Naturalisrt's Holiday."<br />
He began bv showing many views<br />
of the deep ploughing on Huttgn<br />
Moor in preiparation for the planting<br />
of spruce, and later, red oak, which<br />
were able to grow under the acid<br />
conditions of this moorland soil. [Iis<br />
holiday tour took him to London,<br />
and the audience were shown<br />
beautiful pictures of Kew Gardens<br />
and Regent's Park Zoo. On the<br />
return journey, views of Fountains<br />
23<br />
Aibbey, Studley Royal. and Durham<br />
were shown, followed by slides of<br />
the Farne Islands, with their m,any<br />
rare birds, Seahouses, Bambrough,<br />
Carter Bar and on to Edinburgh,<br />
where Mr. Oarr visited the Zoo and<br />
photographed many of the animals<br />
and birds.<br />
-Among the last pictures were some<br />
of the f amous Yorkshire crosses-<br />
Ralph, Anna and Fat Betty, and an<br />
unusual series of the wild oxen of<br />
Chillingwor'th, the only herd of wild<br />
caltle in Britain to-day.<br />
During the, talk, Mr. Carr rnade<br />
comments on the different types of<br />
oolour plates used. A vo,te of thanks<br />
to Mr. Carr was proposed by Mr. J.<br />
Lindley.
Botanical Section Meeting<br />
The Botanical Eection of Whitbv<br />
Naturaiists' Club enjoyed a varie-d<br />
programme on Saturday, when a<br />
number of members contributed to<br />
an open meeting.<br />
Miss V. Brown presided, and said<br />
she had been fascinated during the<br />
summer by the Passion flovrers at<br />
<strong>Whitby</strong> Spa. She had looked forward<br />
to the opening of the flowers which<br />
Iast for three days only, and she<br />
instanced the belief that this flower<br />
is so called because it signlfies in its<br />
_s€pa,rate<br />
parts the Passior, of uur<br />
November 26tl^\,7954.<br />
LOrd.<br />
Miss Hebron presented a book to<br />
the section librarv entitled "The<br />
Coming of the Flowers.'' by A. W.<br />
Anderson, which was gratefully<br />
accepted. Traveller's Joy, named by<br />
Gerard, famous herbalist anil<br />
traveller, was exhibited, and described<br />
by Miss L Sutcliffe. This is<br />
a chalk pLant with an almond scent<br />
and is prolific in Essex.<br />
The Fa4ne Islands had this year<br />
been visited by Mr. T. Wilkinson,<br />
who spoke about the two wild plants<br />
mainly lound there, the sea-campion<br />
tissues are stimulated ir:.to abnormal<br />
gfoqth which produces rhe gaII.<br />
r rnarry a pupa or pupe lie in the<br />
cenlre. of the gall and, in the<br />
lotlowlng season. bite their way out<br />
and sia|t their lile cycje again.-<br />
A_ diverting account of stineing<br />
nellles _ was given by Mrs. - O.<br />
Adshead-lJrecKon. Interesting lacts<br />
emerge.d that . a good dye dan be<br />
maS.e by boiling nettle 'roots, that<br />
neltles are supposed to cure rheu_<br />
matic aches. and that the seeds onlv<br />
germinare on soil disturbed by man.<br />
Mr. H. Scruton brought three new<br />
b_ooks to the notice -of members,<br />
'Wild Flowers" or "Botanising iri<br />
Britain," "Wild Flowers at a Gla-nce"<br />
and 'Blitish Plant Life." bv W. B.<br />
TurriII. which mainl.y deals -with the<br />
biology of the floweiing plant.<br />
_ .The rjrre and beautiful piant,<br />
I.innaa Borealis, chosen by Liinead<br />
to perpetuat , his name, was described<br />
by Miss Conder, who showed<br />
pressed specimens and mentioned<br />
lfe<br />
and another planl of the Borage<br />
family, probably introduced from<br />
California with the poultry food<br />
supplied to the lighthouse keepers<br />
{or ttreir fowls. There are rnore<br />
than seventy different species of<br />
plants in the islands. Hedges of<br />
Daneswort or dwarf elder havE been<br />
planted to afford shelter to the<br />
keepers' gardens.<br />
Miss M. C. Walker talked about<br />
"Gails" and showed beautiful exhibits<br />
of "Robin's Pincushion" on a rose,<br />
and marble. spangle, currant, cherry,<br />
silk button and b,lister ga1ls cn the<br />
oak. These galls, she said, were<br />
caused by flies which puncture the<br />
_ql?n1 lissues. a,nd lay their egqs.<br />
When these hatch, thi: surroundins<br />
jo-y p-he experienced when seeing<br />
the__ Iittle plant growing near<br />
Jedburgh. Ii is a perenn-ial, and<br />
prefers firwoods, especialiy in Scotland,<br />
but is also found in parts of<br />
Yorkshire, having been iniroduced<br />
by recent afforestation.<br />
In CasUe Howard qrounds Miss<br />
J. Wilkinson had found a bird's nest<br />
fungus (crucibrulum vulgare), which<br />
grows on wood, twigs, old sacks and<br />
sawdust. The specimen she showed<br />
was found on the latter.<br />
A sample of pennycress found at<br />
Aislaby was exhibited by Mrs. O.<br />
Shaw where flowers, leaves and<br />
fruits were present on the same<br />
plant. Mrs. Shaw also said she had<br />
looked in vain this year at Upgang<br />
tor a special clump of Grass of<br />
Parnassus which had been comoletelv<br />
buried b1' sand
McncrEement of Gn Estcrte<br />
M'r. E. W.'I. Malcoim, agent to Lord<br />
Nornanby, talked to the <strong>Whitby</strong><br />
NaLuralists'Club cn SatuldaY, on<br />
"Some Aspects o{ Estate Managenrent."<br />
Mr. I\{alcolm. r'eferred to a<br />
book written bv Edward Larvrence<br />
in L727, when hb ri"'as s'reward to the<br />
Mulgrave estate, entitled: "The Duty<br />
o{ a Steward to his Lord," and said<br />
that many of the precepts there set<br />
forth were gcod to-da:r.<br />
Contrnuing, tire speaker said there<br />
are threg types of nanagement, (a)<br />
the cwnel who looks a-fter his estate<br />
himself and, possibly, one farm. This<br />
group accounted Ior slrty per' cent. oi<br />
ownel occupiersl , i:) the whole<br />
tims residenl agent icoking a{ter<br />
orle oI more lalge e siaies, rvhich was<br />
the general practice and (c) the<br />
agent in a rural area who managed<br />
a number of small estates, dealt in<br />
lard, agricultural valuation, rent<br />
collec'ting and of..rce worl
Talk on Ancient Cities<br />
NIrs. I{ollings, Dar,nholme, thrilled<br />
fellc'w members of Whitbv <strong>Naturalists</strong><br />
CIub, on Saturday with a vivid<br />
account of her recent visit fe the<br />
exca-'r'ations at Pompeii and Herculaneum.<br />
He1 descriptions oI all s,he<br />
had seen, wirile wandering about the<br />
lgln:, rnads those ancient Roman<br />
cities come alive again.<br />
Pornpeii and Hercuianeum were<br />
buried by tire terrilble eruption of<br />
Vesuvius in the year ?9 A.D. when,<br />
said Mrs. Hollings, the people there<br />
had no idea that the mo{rntain -was<br />
v.rlcanic, or that they ought to leave<br />
their homes. The great volcano<br />
poured molten lava. boiling wa:ter<br />
and boiling mud upon Herculaneum,<br />
engulfing its inhabitants, and burying<br />
it 50 to 100 feet deep undel a mass<br />
which cooled into hard rock, making<br />
excavation arduous and expensive. A,i<br />
Porrpeii 20 r'eet of stones and ash<br />
cr)veted the citv and this can be<br />
remi)vecl more easily than the rock<br />
at llerculaneum.<br />
n'Ii's. Hoilirrgs read rnoving extracts<br />
from letters written by the youngcr<br />
Pliny. a leading Roman Iawyel and<br />
frienci of the Emperor Trajan in tater<br />
years. who was an eye-witness of<br />
the events wl)iIe staying with his<br />
uncle commanding ,the Rornan Fleet<br />
based on Misenum, on the northern<br />
shore cf the Bay of Naples. He<br />
wrote ,his description of the tragedy<br />
at the request of his friend Tacitus,<br />
the historian.<br />
Herculaneum was immediatelv at<br />
the loot of Vesuvius. by the sea, a<br />
pieasant, select litt1e place, full of<br />
sunsirine and peace. From its houses<br />
have come collections of bronze and<br />
marbles of exquisite design and<br />
beaut5'. speaking of the culture and<br />
December 16th. 1954<br />
26<br />
wealth of its p,eop1e. In one place<br />
was found a library of more tlhan<br />
1,000 papyri which, despite their<br />
fragility and charred text, have been<br />
translated.<br />
The excavatlons of the eighteenth<br />
century at Herculaneum were made<br />
by means of tunnels. This is not done<br />
any lo'nger, and. by descending a<br />
long staircase, visitors can walk<br />
about in its streets.<br />
Pompeii was abou,t a mile lrom the<br />
mountain. a comrnercial town of<br />
perhaps 12,000 to 20,000 people. In<br />
contrast to Herculaneum the greater<br />
part of thg inhabitants of Pompeii<br />
escaped into the countryside.<br />
Nowadays ,the policy is to clean<br />
and restore what is found and<br />
replace it in its old position in the<br />
houses and on thg streets. An<br />
uncovered house is seen as it was<br />
originally, containing mural paintlrngs<br />
with a wealth of colour, loaves<br />
of bread in the ovens. scones, fruit<br />
and grain now charred and many<br />
homely articles. in the shape of<br />
kitchen w'are as well as valuable<br />
jewellerv anri silver dishes.<br />
The speaker said that town planning<br />
was clearly seen by the layout<br />
of thr: streets and the setting of the<br />
hr'uses which were chie,flv two<br />
st,Jrer s higir. She ended heir talk,<br />
which was illustrated with prhotographs<br />
and pictures, with a description<br />
of the various shops to be seen<br />
on a walk through the streets.<br />
The Rev. C. C. Fowler, who<br />
presided, paid tribute to the<br />
speaker's ability and Mr. P. R.<br />
Hickman, who has himself visited<br />
Pompeii, erdorsed this in proposing<br />
a vote of thanks.
Bird<br />
The Rev. C. C. Fowler presided in<br />
the absence of Colonel Pewsey at the<br />
meeting of <strong>Whitby</strong> <strong>Naturalists</strong>' CIub,<br />
on Saturday, when Mr. Michael K.<br />
Swales, B.A. (Cantab.), gave an<br />
unusual and fascinating talk,<br />
entitled " Bird Watching in Norway'"<br />
Mr. Swales was one of a pariy of<br />
Cambridge Students, mainlY members<br />
of the Cambridge Bird Club,<br />
who stayed in the Peninsuia Lista,<br />
South Norway, for the Past five<br />
years during the autumn 'migration<br />
period, under the auspices of the<br />
Stavanger Museum and the direction<br />
of its Curator.<br />
The aim of the expedition, said Mr.<br />
Swales, was to determine the extent<br />
and nature of bird migration at<br />
Lista with a view to setting up an<br />
observatory there. Mr. Swales said<br />
that observers stayed at Loshavn<br />
and regular early morning watches<br />
were kept at the top of Eigvaag hill.<br />
This proved to be a suitable locality<br />
f,:r watchin g diurnal migration,<br />
which took place on a massive scale<br />
on one or two occasions. A11<br />
migrating birds passing over this<br />
ooint were counted and the direction<br />
of their flight noted. Other members<br />
of the party stayed at Borhaug and<br />
kept a regular morning watch at<br />
the Fvr. with an occasional watch at<br />
Steinodden. A daily census was<br />
made of the birds in an area in the<br />
vicinity of the Fyr so as to make<br />
deductions concerning the night<br />
misrations there. In addition,<br />
waTches were kept at the lighthouse<br />
of the Fyr for part of certain nights<br />
during a period.<br />
A vivid word picture was drawn<br />
by the speaker of windless, misty<br />
nights, with no stars visible, spent<br />
on the lighthouse balcony when<br />
Wcrtching tn Norway<br />
December 24th, 1954.<br />
masses of birds, losing their way,<br />
would come calling, as if mesmerised,<br />
to the light. Attempts were<br />
also made to find out more about<br />
the nature of the movement of birds<br />
through the hi1ls of North Lista on<br />
to the plain itself.<br />
It was necessary to catch numbers<br />
of birds in order to ring them, and<br />
this was done by means of several<br />
different traps. A Heiigoland trap,<br />
arranged in a wood in the lighthousekeeper's<br />
garden, proved a most<br />
successful method. Seven hundred<br />
birds were trapped there in four<br />
years. A wall trap was erected and<br />
clap-netting laid down on seaweed<br />
to catch waders. Spring nets and<br />
chardonnerets were unsuccessful. A<br />
total of 412 birds o[ 31 species were<br />
ringed last year, and almost all of<br />
these were weighed and measured.<br />
There had been 30 bird ring returns.<br />
The overall total of species of birds<br />
seen in Lista is 194. During<br />
migration as many as 12,000 birds<br />
pass in an hour. Considerable<br />
numbers migrate south-east and<br />
north-west. There is a smaller<br />
passage of birds to the south-west,<br />
and sparrow-hawks are the only<br />
birds seen to go south. Among the<br />
migratory birds were noted<br />
bramblings, fieldfares, starlings,<br />
coal-tits, kestrels, merlins, shorteared<br />
owls, shags, buzzards, grey<br />
lag-geese, cormorants, auks, crossbiils.<br />
buntings, chaffinches and flycatcners.<br />
In the five years' plan the party<br />
achieved their object, and recommended<br />
that an observatory be set<br />
up at Lista.<br />
In passing a vote of thanks to Mr.<br />
Swales, Mrs. Gregson said migration<br />
was a very intriguing business.<br />
27
Fcrscinating Nature Tolk<br />
At the first meetins in <strong>1955</strong> of<br />
<strong>Whitby</strong> Naturtalists' Club, Mrs. O.<br />
Adsheiad Breckon, secretary. referred<br />
to the death orf one of their oldest<br />
mernbers, Mr. A. Gibbon, of<br />
Grosmont, who died on January 3rd,<br />
aged 86. Up to the end o,f iast<br />
summer he went reguiarly ,on the<br />
Club's outings, and was able to do<br />
the lo_ngest walks-a trim, spare,<br />
upright figure striding over the<br />
moors he loved and knew so well.<br />
Mrs. Adshead Breckon said that<br />
Mr. Gibbon was a rare cou,ntryman,<br />
and a grand old gentleman, and the<br />
Club would long remenrber him with<br />
affection and aclmiration. Members<br />
stood in sile'nce in hirs lrr€rnorJ/.<br />
A talk ol1 "Obsen,ations from<br />
Nature" was qiven bv Mr. Fra,nk<br />
Stonehouse, and memlbers listened<br />
with rapt attention to his vivid and<br />
absorbingly inlerestinq accounL ot<br />
wbat he had seen and heard o{ wilci<br />
life in the countryside. He described<br />
the lives and habits 'of foxes, stoats,<br />
weasels, squirrels. pheasants. paltridges,<br />
kingfishers, h'erons, c.rows and<br />
many other creatures, and imitated<br />
January 28th, <strong>1955</strong>.<br />
28<br />
the cries and calls of some of them.<br />
Mr, Stoneho.use s,:poke od the<br />
singleness of purpos6- of tJ.e stoat<br />
when pursuing a rabbit it had<br />
marked out for its prey, and he gavs<br />
intfiguing instances of the tricks a<br />
fox wou-Id piay to escape hounds.<br />
Pheasants and partridges were birds<br />
which Mr. Stonehouse knew<br />
inl,imately. ancl rnn.y were the<br />
stories he Lold of them. particularly<br />
of the way the mother bird gua,rdeii<br />
arnd taught her chicks, and of tLre<br />
almost uncanny way they had of<br />
s_uddqnly disappearing lrom sight at,<br />
the slightest sound oT danger.- He<br />
told,. too,- of the .sagaCity anq<br />
1 cunnlng cunning ot of the carrion crow, crolv, and<br />
of the various alarm cries of many<br />
ibirds. Indeed there seemed little<br />
:that Mr. Stonehouse did n'ot see or<br />
ihear out o'f doorsl he ,lrad collected<br />
'a great fund of intimate knowiedge<br />
'of wild life, and he presented -.r<br />
vivi'i picture of the countryside in a<br />
:rdeligrrtfully easy and hum,orous<br />
cmannef.<br />
i Vt.. J. Lirndiey expressed the<br />
Club's thanks to -Mr. Stonehouse.
<strong>Whitby</strong> Fishing HistorY<br />
February 4th, <strong>1955</strong>.<br />
Introducins Miss Dora Walker,<br />
Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts'<br />
as the speaker at the meeting oI<br />
Whitbv <strong>Naturalists</strong>' Club on Saturdav.<br />
the Rev. C. C. Fowler, who Presid-ed.<br />
described he: as the -friend oI<br />
<strong>Whitby</strong> fisherme-n who had accePted<br />
her as one of themselves.<br />
-Miss Walker. whose books on the<br />
subiect are well known. gave an<br />
ibsorbing talk on " The WhitbY<br />
Fishing Fleet." It was not known'<br />
she sa"id. when the fleet started in<br />
<strong>Whitby</strong>, but fishing must have begun<br />
when - the necessarv tackle was<br />
invented. The flrst mention of a<br />
fishing boar putting out from <strong>Whitby</strong><br />
is ma"de bv ilede. when the Princess<br />
iltneal. in 654 A.D. visited St.<br />
Cuthbert in one of the boats used b-y<br />
*re ilv 'brethren of the AbbeY. If<br />
rnonks were fishermen then there<br />
must have been others.<br />
wheri the Danes destroye-d -thg<br />
town and Abbey, Young records tnal<br />
i16-* nstterrnei's huls-were erected<br />
amonq the ruins. A colonY so-on<br />
iorme"O. and the first Abbot o'f the<br />
started to collect<br />
"e*ty-Uuitt Abbev -<br />
iiit'tei. Fish must have been a defin-i1J<br />
sourCe of income to the Abbey<br />
;A tht fishermen were likely to<br />
hive 'found the Abbot's dernands<br />
verv tivine. In spite of this the<br />
freiilne "inalustry brought prosper.itv<br />
to th6 men owning and worKlng<br />
itreir boats, as somelimes t4"Y<br />
n*iouel-tt in some 30.000 herring at a<br />
catch.<br />
'..i"-isg+ a vast shoal arrived, and<br />
atiiacled foreigners who sold lhe<br />
Eiir_f,j. export.- Three pence in .the<br />
nound was charged untll complarnls<br />
ivere made that the natrves were<br />
be-ing deprived of their food, and<br />
iuitn"et s'ales for export were forbidaen.<br />
By 1544 WhitbY had become<br />
;^;;;; Rir'ine town, with boat-s of<br />
5o:-40 tons -navigating through -a<br />
eood deep harbour entrance,-.and /4<br />
s-mlJt craft operating qs well In<br />
I-SOZ everv WednesdaY became a fish<br />
day in the NavY.<br />
*-ttrtlir a dislstrous change took<br />
place. By the wear 16J6 the harbour<br />
iiad silterl up, breventing the larger<br />
boats from working. Unemploymetrt<br />
was rife, and the fishing industry<br />
was driven from the town to tne<br />
coiit vittages of Staithes' Runswick,<br />
Sandsend and Robin Hood's BaY.<br />
Drastic alterations had to be made<br />
to the harbour, and WhitbY fishing<br />
families were reduced to nine. Nevertheless.<br />
in 181?, there was a large<br />
fishins ffeet, registered at WhitPY'<br />
ooerating ooeraiine along-the Strand. London<br />
nierchanl nierchani purcFpased ourchpased on the spotancl spot and<br />
transport -was bv sea and p?nn-ie.r. pannier.<br />
The -large The boats were decked-in<br />
-<br />
large boats were decked-in<br />
vawls, ca-rrying two cobles. starting<br />
work in in- Maich, Maich. going out to the<br />
Doager o-n a MondaY and returning<br />
bv - the Friday night' Lines were<br />
viorked through the winter as now,<br />
Herring fishing lasted lrom JUIY-<br />
Septem-ber, after which the Whitlcy<br />
boits went to Yarmouth until<br />
November. The Tale HiIl herring<br />
houses were built in 1833, and the<br />
new railway gave a great impetus to<br />
29<br />
the industry. It was not so mucn'<br />
however, as had been hoPed, as the<br />
railwav took over the Hartlepools<br />
and Scarborough, and these towns<br />
boomed as fishing Ports. Between<br />
the two. Whitbv was negiected' and<br />
her townspeople feverisNv tried. to<br />
turn her into a fashionable walerrng<br />
oti,fi', *uru"r described the various<br />
tvpes of fishing boats illustrated by<br />
niliiseum models of the coble. mule'<br />
keel boat and trawler' The fishing<br />
coble had it,s origin in tlhe Norse<br />
ihios and had redlained unchanged<br />
to this day, except fo,r mechanisation.<br />
Unfortunaielv, the trawler destroyed<br />
snawn and diminished the fish that<br />
clme inshore. As fishing became<br />
mechanised and steam trawlers<br />
airived. conditions worsened and the<br />
fishermen turned to crabbing. -However<br />
after they accepted the idea ol<br />
mechanisation, motbr cobles and<br />
mules started a new era.' The dred-ger<br />
frid tretpeO to rnake the bar less<br />
dangerous, and the Scottish fishing<br />
uoail. after a long break, were again<br />
a seasonal feature.<br />
Miss Walker eoncluded with a<br />
thrilling account of her personal experiences<br />
as a fisherwoman' -a!ct<br />
bmohasised her conviction that fishine^was<br />
not dead in WhitbY nor ever<br />
would be.<br />
Mr. A. Smith, in thanking the<br />
sneaker. reminded her that he built<br />
tire ouarter deck on her boat, the<br />
'Good Faith."
<strong>Whitby</strong> Bridge History<br />
, WiLh ttre subject of bridges so<br />
Ioplca.l tn tle town, there was<br />
consroerable tnlerest in an address<br />
on,"Whirby _Bri{ges" bv Mrs. W. A.<br />
lvllltaro, Millard, of OI Slerehts. Sleights. to mpmhers members nf ol<br />
Whitly_ _Natural-ists' rClub, Millard,<br />
Whitbv<br />
al td;<br />
Kenda{Room Sendaq Room on Saturday. Colonel<br />
H...9. Pewse.v presided, lnd before<br />
ca.tlrng calling on Mrs. MilIard [o sDeak.<br />
calirng_ on Mrs. Millard to speak,<br />
he paid a tribute to the ]ate Mi. W.<br />
J. C. Wood. vice-chairman vice-chair,man of thF the<br />
ctu6. .wiroie'a;;rir,';;''sata, wis "ln<br />
irrepairable tross.<br />
. --ry.Irs. Milliard began by asking<br />
"where was the first -whitbri nriaeaiE<br />
? question posed by R. T. Ga;kin<br />
rn. .hrs book "The OId Seaport of<br />
<strong>Whitby</strong>." The.y were aII familiai.<br />
she. said, with the legend thai<br />
uedmon was lhe first p€rson to<br />
work_ a ferry aoross the hiver Esk,<br />
bul Charlton and young answered<br />
tl-re question wh_en they dgreed thaf<br />
trnere was rn earllest ilmes a wooden<br />
Drrdge at . S-tone Quay. Boghali,<br />
wfiCn Stood for rnany generations.<br />
lnls.brldge began at the boltom of<br />
rne hghway on the south side of<br />
tl'.!e Leper's Hospital. ran across the<br />
river into Waterstead Lane. and only<br />
seemed to be for foot passengerr-.<br />
There was evidence that a ttroroieh-<br />
la.re connecting Staithside uiith<br />
llowergate used to descend to the<br />
older quay level by a series of steps<br />
.teadrng to a f ord with steppins<br />
glones crossing the harbour to'thE<br />
llasl srde 10 connect with Ellerbv<br />
Lane. Undoubtedly a bridge exisLe-cl<br />
ln some form at Whirby on the<br />
present site before 1S9b. When it<br />
was considered how necessary such<br />
a communication must have been<br />
whgn t_hg monastery was standing,<br />
and and how small ttre sweil of the<br />
sea into the harbour then was. it<br />
could scarcelv be doubted that the<br />
molt
Lecture, "'A Medley of Flowers "<br />
Despite the wintry weather there<br />
was a good attendance at a meeting<br />
of Whiiby <strong>Naturalists</strong>' CIub on<br />
Saturday, for an interesting lecture<br />
entitled "A Medlev of Flowers," by<br />
Miss J. Wilkinson, Sleights. The<br />
February 18th, <strong>1955</strong>.<br />
talk w'as ilusirated by a wonderful<br />
collection of lantern slides loaned by<br />
Dr. Sledge, head of th€ Botanical<br />
DeDartment of Leeds University, to<br />
wLiorn Miss, Wilkinson expressed her<br />
indebtedness. and also thanked Mr.<br />
r'. Readrnan, the lanternist. Miss<br />
Wilkinson, in her ta1k, sought o show<br />
which wild flowers grew together<br />
and whv. and spoke of the differences<br />
of climatic conditions and soils<br />
on f<strong>lor</strong>al habitat. She summarised<br />
the wav plants lived and referred<br />
to the various soil formations-sand,<br />
clay, calcareous, loam, siliceous, peat<br />
and siet, describing the peculiar pronerties<br />
of each. Miss Wilkinson indii:ated<br />
how different soils suited<br />
different plants, and the eflects of<br />
altitude and climate on P1ate communities.<br />
Slides of damp atrd dry<br />
oal